Program Applications Specialist

Full Job Description

OUR MISSION: To fulfill President Lincoln's promise "To care for those who have served in our nation's military and for their families, caregivers, and survivors" - by serving and honoring the men and women who are America's Veterans.

How would you like to become a part of a team providing compassionate whole health care to Veterans.

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 03/13/2026.

Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

For a GS-9 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-7.

For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-9.The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service.

An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials.

If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement.

In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade.

Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: GS-9 SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Must have one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-7) in Federal service that equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled.

Specialized experience includes: Skill in applying analytical and evaluative techniques to the identification, consideration, and resolution or issues or problems; knowledge of theory and principles of management and organization, including administrative practices and procedures common to organizations; Knowledge of qualitative and quantitative techniques for analyzing and measuring the effectiveness, efficiency, and productivity of administrative and technical programs; retrieve, track and trend information for analysis and reporting; knowledge of VA policies, directives, operating procedures, information flow and current automated practices; knowledge of PIMS software.

OR Education: Must have successfully completed master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B.

or J.D., if related. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work.

(TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED) OR Combination of Experience and Education: Must have successfully completed an equivalent combination of experience and education as described above.

Such education and experience must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work.

(TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED) GS-11 Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-9 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.

Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Communication and interpersonal relations, including the ability to appropriately and courteously relate to internal and external customers; Maintenance of confidentiality of patient/employee information, electronic and print; The medical center performance improvement program; How to work and function in the medical center in a safe manner, including infection control and the correct operation of equipment; Age/Population-specific care, as identified in the Age/Population-Specific Competencies (see Age-Specific Competencies Checklist), including knowledge of principles of growth and development relevant to the populations served and associated age-specific changes; ability to assess and interpret data about the patient's status; and ability to identify population specific needs and provide the appropriate care based on population-related factors noted.

OR Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a Ph.D.

or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree?

This education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position.

(TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED) OR Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have equivalent combinations of education at the Ph.D.

level and experience.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social).

Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment.

You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week.

Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities.

Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

Physical Requirements: Regular and recurring work is mostly sedentary involving sitting at a desk, although the position requires the ability to move from one geographic location of the facility to another.

The incumbent works with a computer works with a computer screen and keyboard. Some physical effort such as standing, walking, bending or prolonged sitting may be required.

The incumbent may be exposed to walking to outlying areas. The work places no special physical demands on the employee.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Major Duties:

The incumbent serves as the integrator that coordinates the business process and software functions.

The incumbent of this position provides continuous business oversight for a variety of software programs integral to the overall administration and operations of the business and effects programmatic changes at the facility level.

The incumbent coordinates ongoing data collection and analysis and uses knowledge of system redesign principles to determine organization performance.

Major Duties: Establish administrative qualitative standards to improve programs, facilities and operations. Develops and implements standards that affect the MIS/Benefits Management Program.

Maintains records, prepares project administrative and statistical reports, assures compliance with review process, and monitors compliance with program requirements.

Plans initiatives for hardware and software needs for the MIS/Benefits Management Program.

Responsible for determining the physical and data security needs for the Program areas and implements necessary improvements.

Uses available data to determine current performance and develops and implements local performance measures.

Coordinate, plan, implement and train for Program and facility staff in business and functional areas for various information technology.

Identifies system inefficiencies and develops studies or data collection techniques related to specific identified problems.

Provides training and troubleshooting for clinical and administrative staff in business processes and associated supporting software.

Researches problems that impact the quality and efficiency of Business Office operations. Performs other duties as assigned.

Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met.

Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level. Work Schedule: 8:00am-4:30pm; Monday through Friday Telework: This position may be authorized for telework.

Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Program Applications Specialist/PD10017A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized